


Fool's Errand

by blasphemous



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 2x12, Alec's plan, Guilt, Hugs, Kisses, M/M, Magic, Opening Up, Rings, Vulnerability, WHERE ARE THE RINGS?, blame, freeing magnus, past mistakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 20:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11112003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blasphemous/pseuds/blasphemous
Summary: Alec believes Magnus when he says he's trapped in Valentine’s body, and would do anything to get him out.





	Fool's Errand

**Author's Note:**

> This took only an hour to write. Unbeta'd, please point out any mistakes. Enjoy!

“You have to believe me! Azazel did something. He— He—”

“Enough!” Alec bellows in interjection, pressing his forearm harder against Valentine's neck “enough of your mind games” he grits out between his teeth, brows drawn together in determination. “They won't get you out of here”

Valentine shuts his eyes, his hands holding Alec's elbows pleadingly.

“Alexand—”

“No!” Alec shouts, “you're not going to trick me. It's not how things work around here. You tricked Jace and Clary into believing they're siblings, you convinced madzie that we were the bad ones, I won't let you trick me into—”

“Ask me anything” Valentine breathes out in a hurry “trust me. Anything”

Alec swallows hard, adjusting his arm to regain self-control. 

“Please” Valentine exhales, and Alec closes his eyes, unable to get the idea of Magnus Bane, _his warlock, his boyfriend_ , trapped in this monster's body out of his mind.

He shakes his head lightly and snaps his eyes open. 

“Please” Alec's never in his life imagined he'd hear Valentine sounding so weak. So _defenceless._

Alec knew that although Valentine was now at the mercy of the clave, the least he can do is fight back with snarky remarks. But all he sees is a frail man, begging to be heard out.

He gulps again. 

He breathes deeply, parting his lips for a few seconds before speaking “My first date with Magnus, where—”

“Hunter's moon” Alec doesn't even have the time to finish his question “then Prague, and Tokyo, where you got me that omamori, the one that was supposed to bring me luck, luck and protection, please believe—”

Alec glares. “You spied on us” he spits.

He doesn't understand why he was even giving the man a chance, it was clear that valentine was just trying to get inside his head. That's what psychopaths did.

“No, no” shaking his head lightly, Valentine gives the best soliciting look he can muster, “ask– ask something else. Anything Alexander, let me prove myself”

“Okay” Alec breathes out, deadpan, “what did Magnus tell me when I wanted to move on to the next step?” He stands straight, looking down at him in a demeaning manner as he deliberately lowers his arm, careful not to get caught off-guard. 

Valentine swallows, resting his head back against the wall as his expression twists into one of pain. 

Alec breathes out a mocking laugh, giving one of his ridiculing crooked smirks. “You should know better than to play around with me” he steps back and turns around to leave.

“You're not the only one that feels vulnerable”

Alec freezes, all air knocking out of his lungs as he shuts his eyes. 

“Alexander”

Clenching his fists at his sides, Alec swallows.

“How'd you—?” His voice is raspy, so he clears his throat and repeats his question as he turns around, “how'd you know that?” He lifts his hand incredulously, trying to ease his palpitating heart, but finds that his efforts are in vain. “Only Magnus knows that.”

“I'm not Valentine. Azazel— he, he did something, he switched us, I don't know what his motive was but please, Alexander. Please believe me”

Alec stares at him. Long and hard, a lump forming in his throat at the mere thought of Magnus being in there. Trapped, lost, and _powerless._

He inhales shakily through his lips before pressing them together and flexing his jaw. 

“I believe you” 

Valentine stills, clearly mortified by the statement. “Y-You…”

“So valentine... He's..?” Alec doesn't want to continue, too afraid that the answer would be yes.

“In my body, with my magic” Valentine nods in confirmation, “drinking my vodka probabl—”

“This isn't a joke!” Alec cuts in harshly, “inquisitor Herondale is in a meeting with the clave, deciding what to do with _you!_ Not valentine! Who's out there! Doing the angels know what with _your magic!_ ” Alec's voice trembles by the end of his sentence, and he sees valentine flinch, standing straight. He starts to pace, and Alec studies his movements, wondering if he's fallen in the trap or if that was _actually_ his boyfriend in there, wanting out. 

When valentine turns on his heel elegantly with the softest hum, Alec realises how much that was a Magnus thing to do. 

The suave, the elegance, the way he calls him Alexander. Valentine didn't know about any of that. After all, he's never actually spent time with the warlock to study the way he acts. 

Alec swallows. 

“Did— Did you feel the torture?” He cautiously asks, “did it hurt _you_ or just Valentine’s body?” He steps closer, wanting nothing more than to hug his boyfriend. 

But it would be odd. It would be suspicious if someone sees the two of them. Alec Lightwood, the future head of the institute, hugging Valentine Morgenstern, the shadowhunters’ worst archenemy. 

Valentine looks away, nictating a few times in a row to blink his tears away. 

Alec’s breath catches in his chest. “It's hurting you, isn't it?” 

Valentine steps closer, only one step before pausing and looking out of the glass room, where Jace and Isabelle stood, watching the two intently. 

“Alec” Valentine whispers “I need you to get me out.” 

Alec lets his eyes skim over the room before they land on him again. “I can't, there're cameras, there are—”

“Not out of here” 

It takes Alec a few seconds to process the words, then he clenches his jaw and fists. “How? You're the only warlock we can trust. And now Valentine has _your_ magic” he steps closer, his voice low regardless the soundless rune he had set on the glass, to disallow his siblings from listening. 

“Catarina” 

Alec tilts his head lightly, “Catarina Loss?” He queries, lifting his forefinger questioningly, drawing his brows together. 

Valentine nods. “She's the only one who can undo this, the only one we can trust. Please do this for me, Alexander” this time Valentine does step closer, and Alec doesn't move, indecisively considering the consequences. 

“I'll get you out of there” he vows, “I promise” and with the tenuous of smiles, he turns around and walks away. 

•

“You can't believe him, Alec” Jace rushes after his parabatai, “he's manipulating you, he's done it before. To me. He convinced me he's—”

Alec makes his way to one of the panels, lifting his hand to type in his information and confirm his identity.

“I have to agree with Jace, Alec. This is too dangerous” the sound of Izzy’s heels gets on Alec's nerves, but he brushes his annoyance away as he swipes his hand over the screen until he finds Catarina Loss’ profile. 

“Look” as he put her information in his phone, he turns to face his siblings, “my boyfriend, the man I love, is trapped in Valentine’s body and it's only a matter of time before he's sentenced to death. So you either help me, or get out of my way” 

Izzy shares a glance with Jace. 

Alec crosses his arms in tenacity before Jace looks away and back at his brother, “what do you want us to do?” 

Alec's pleased smile tilts his lips upwards and he lets out a relieved sigh, not knowing what he would do without the duo. 

“I need you to get Magnus out of that room, soon.” 

•

Alec takes a deep breath and adjusts his jacket before flipping the door to Magnus’ loft open. 

Magnus looks up instantly, and albeit the fact Alec has always found Magnus to be the most handsome man he's ever lay eyes on, he can't help but feel a twist in his stomach, not the good type.

“Hey” he puts on a smile as he makes his way towards the parasite and leans down to, well, to kiss him. 

But Magnus steps back almost immediately, turning around with a disgusted look on his face. 

Alec's suspicions are beyond confirmed by now, and the ringless hands, makeup deprived face only make it all the more believable. 

“Sorry, Alec, I'm—” the parasite forges a cough, feigning illness, and Alec fights the urge to roll his eyes and throttle valentine out of his flawless man. 

“Hey, you okay?” He steps closer and places his hand on Magnus’ shoulder, making him flinch away from his touch. “Need a drink? You always told me cocktails were the only highlight of the day besides me” Alec makes his way towards the drinks, carefully and furtively slipping the small container out of his sleeve. 

“Ah, yes. A drink sounds lovely”

Alec frowns approvingly at Valentine’s well performance of his irreplaceable boyfriend as he pours the contents of the container into the drink and turns around. 

Magnus is stood right in front of him, eyes dark and holding anything but the usual softness of the warlock's orbs. 

Alec jumps. “You scared me” he laughs out nervously as the parasite lifts his hand and slips the drink out of Alec's hand. 

Sipping at it, he keeps his eyes on Alec. And Alec can't help but give a sly smirk at his extremely successful plan. 

It takes only a few moments before Magnus begins swaying, holding his hands out in an attempt to balance himself.

“What have you done?!” He bellows, and Alec yelps when the windows implode. 

Valentine clearly hasn't learnt how to control Magnus’ magic. 

“I'm putting you back where you belong” Alec says, “Valentine Morgenstern”

Magnus’ eyes widen, furious and menacing. 

Then his eyes close and his knees buckle, about to give in beneath him. 

Alec instantly holds him, and he feels his heart clench in his chest. His Magnus has been in this monster's body, tortured senseless. 

He remembers how with every scream, he would feel a little more appeased until he found out that it was his boyfriend in there. His innocent warlock. 

He keeps his hold on Magnus’ body stern, his eyes closed and his jaw clenched in rue. 

•

“Stand him in the centre”

Alec gently lets Magnus down in the centre of the pentagram, his wrists bound behind his back and covered by runed gloves to stop him from performing any type of unwanted magic.

He doesn't want Magnus feeling any type of physical pain when he's back into his body, especially after what he's been through, so he makes sure the ropes are comfortable.

“Take your place at your point, Alexander” 

Alec perks up at the mention of his given name, and he sees the smallest of smiles playing on Catarina’s lips. A smile that says _yes, he's spoken of you to the point where I know your name, your favourite colour, and the amount of beauty spots you have on your angelic face._

And Alec bows his head shyly as he makes his way to his point of the star. 

Valentine faces Magnus, and when Magnus’ body snarls and surges forward, Catarina murmurs out an incantation, making the parasite step back, as if his feet were glued to the ground. 

She holds her hand out to Alec and Izzy, and Alec takes it, then Jace's, while Jace takes Clary’s hand. 

“Clear your minds, my friends” Catarina says, “this is going to be a little bit freaky” a smirk plays on her lips and a loud laugh comes from Valentine’s body. 

“Oh, Catarina” he says “still not over that movie, are we?” 

Catarina shrugs a shoulder as she bows her head. 

Her words start small, low, barely in the range of audibility. 

Alec sees the pentagram catch fire, and he feels the magic of Catarina’s touch wave through his body warmly. 

It's then that he realises how powerful she is. 

“You can't do this!” Comes Magnus’ voice “only a greater demon can reverse his magic”

When Catarina’s words become louder, the Latin lilt bleeding into her accent, Magnus begins screaming, his hands tugging at the ropes in a way Alec knows will scar him, and can't wait to attend to later. 

He can't help the smile that plays on his lips at the mere idea of holding Magnus to him again. 

He needed to apologise as well.

Catarina’s spell is powerful shouts now, her grip on Alec's and Izzy's hands tightening as she glares straight ahead. 

Alec's hands become sweaty, but he grips on stubbornly, too scared to let go. 

“My hand’s slipping!” Clary yells out, her hair flown back by the force of the spell.

Clary is the first to let go, and all five of them fly back. 

As Alec flies through the air, the only thought running through his mind is _by the angel, what did I do to deserve that redhead in my life?_

His back collides with the wall and he lets out a cry as he slides down the concrete, the impact of the collision blinding him for a second before he regains focus. 

He props himself up on his elbows and looks towards the two.

Magnus and Valentine are both standing, necks and backs craned back as a white-golden mist enthrals them. Magnus has his eyes open, rolled back, and his lips parted painfully. Then he relaxes, his whole body alleviating off the ground. 

And it truly was one of the most beautiful things Alec had ever seen. Just cut the monster out. 

Screw whoever said that warlocks consist of demons, because Alec had never in his life felt so grateful for having such a seraphic man in his life. Regardless his lineage, regardless his species that Alec certainly had nothing against. Magnus was perfect. 

As soon as the mist disappears, Valentine slumps to the ground, and Magnus tries to hold onto anything to stop his knees from giving out in exhaustion. 

Alec immediately stands, ignoring all the pain in his body as he trudges towards his warlock. 

He stops. 

Clary broke the circle. This could still be Valentine. 

He stays silent for a few seconds, not knowing what to do next. 

“M-Magnus?” 

Magnus looks up, his face still beautifully refrained of makeup, and his nail varnish scraped off, clothes dull. 

He stares at his hands, then back up at Alec, and Alec takes a reluctant step closer. “Magnus?” He tries again, feeling tears pool in his eyes. 

“Where are my rings?” 

As soon as the questions leaves his lips, Alec surges forward, wrapping his arms around his shoulders as he pulls him to his chest. 

And Magnus almost instantly, like the hug has given him all the strength he needs, hugs back, burying his face in Alec's shoulder. 

“I'm so sorry” Alec pants out, finally capable of breathing, “I'm so sorry I didn't believe you. I let you undergo all that torture, and I— I'm so sorry, Magnus”

Magnus slowly runs his hand through Alec's hair, eyes shut. Then he tilts his head and burrows his face in his boyfriend’s neck, inhaling his scent.

“You didn't know” he whispers, feeling Alec's arms girth his waist and pull him as close as possible. “You didn't know” he repeats. 

Alec pulls away slowly, his lungs beseeching air, but he keeps his hold on the other firm, and a second later, his lips cover Magnus’, and Magnus smiles into the heartfelt kiss, using what's left of his willpower to kiss back.


End file.
